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FMA winners 2025
We are delighted to announce that Dr. Claudia Keller Valsecchi (Institute of Molecular Biology, Mainz, DE) and Prof. Dr. Li Tang (EPFL) will be awarded the Friedrich Miescher Award 2025 for their outstanding achievements in biochemistry.
ScienceGeist - a newsletter and curated collection of articles on science policy.
Democracy in crisis: Trust in democratic institutions declining around the world
New research from the University of Southampton has found that trust in representative institutions, such as parliaments, governments and political parties, has been declining in democratic countries around the world.
eurekalert.org
1/25
National Science Foundation Fires 168 Probationary Employees on Trump Administration's Orders
The federal agency that funds science research says the staff reduction came in response to a White House directive.
cbsnews.com
2/25
Cutting Funding for Science Can Have Consequences for the Economy, US Technological Competitiveness
America has already lost its global competitive edge in science, and funding cuts proposed in early 2025 may further a precipitous decline.
theconversation.com
3/25
Scientists Struggle to Find the Right Formula for Handling Trump
At the annual AAAS conference in Boston, scientists and policy makers from around the world debate how to counter layoffs and cuts
sciencebusiness.net
4/25
Competitiveness Compass must find a place for basic research
Commission’s silence on the next EU R&I programme is becoming alarmingly loud, says the author
researchprofessionalnews.com
5/25
The double-glazed ceiling: new PIs face continuing precarity
Early career researchers’ path to independence is unnecessarily bumpy
researchprofessionalnews.com
6/25
If the Royal Society expels Musk, it could harm trust in science
Scientists might achieve more for the public by staying out of politics, writes the author
researchprofessionalnews.com
7/25
Royal Society Urged to Expel Elon Musk As Fellows Sign Open Letter
More than 1,700 academics complain about X owner's behaviour, citing his 'assault on scientific research'.
theguardian.com
8/25
Research Faces Uncertain Future in EU Budget Shakeup
The Commission’s roadmap for the 2028-34 budget has renewed fears that research and innovation will disappear into a European Competitiveness Fund.
sciencebusiness.net
9/25
Science Diplomacy Framework Launched for ‘Era of Disruption’
The American Association for the Advancement of Science and the Royal Society have launched a new framework for science diplomacy.
researchprofessionalnews.com
10/25
Can Science and Diplomacy Have Mutual Impact in the Trump & Musk Era?
President Trump sees himself as a dealmaker and Elon Musk sees himself as a science-based innovator. Might this fabled partnership lead to a confluence towards what is termed “science diplomacy?”
forbes.com
11/25
Germany Slowly Rethinks Defence and Security Research
Three years after the attack on Ukraine, positions are changing, but there is no more money in Germany for military research.
sciencebusiness.net
12/25
Europe Must Stop Chasing US Technology Hype Cycles
Brussels has thrown money after the metaverse, blockchain and now generative AI. Are these sound investments, or just a fear of missing out?
sciencebusiness.net
13/25
How Populist Leaders Like Trump Use 'Common Sense' As an Ideological Weapon to Undermine…
When common sense is promoted as a virtue, it's not just to celebrate how regular people understand the world. It promotes a worldview that rejects empirical facts and paves the way for propaganda.
theconversation.com
14/25
U-shaped Learning: a New Model for Transdisciplinary Education
Over the past two decades, transdisciplinarity has been cited increasingly by policymakers and university actors as a means to reshape learning and research processes to improve society’s potential to tackle grand societal challenges.
nature.com
15/25
Blind Application Process Helps Swiss Spark Grants Back Unconventional Research
The Spark grants scheme, run by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF), anonymises applications. This has meant a more diverse range of winners, particularly younger scientists and those new to SNSF funding.
sciencebusiness.net
16/25
ERC Should Contribute More to Competitiveness, Says EU Research Chief
EU’s basic research funder “is not living in a vacuum” and should listen to “evolving demands from society,” says Marc Lemaître.
sciencebusiness.net
17/25
Commission R&I Chief Declines to Confirm Standalone FP10
Marc Lemaître expects “radical reduction in the number of instruments under the EU budget”.
researchprofessionalnews.com
18/25
In Mexico, Budget Cuts Dim Hopes for a Science Funding Revival
Research centers move to reduce salaries and lay off staff.
science.org
19/25
US Scientists Feeling "Stress and Fear" As Sweeping Trump Orders Hit Funding
Work and payments at universities, businesses and non-profits disrupted nationwide after executive orders.
theguardian.com
20/25
Trump Threatened College Research, Culture and Funding. Confusion Reigns.
An NIH announcement Friday cutting billions in biomedical research, a federal funding review and DEI prohibitions have left colleges scrambling for answers.
washingtonpost.com
21/25
Trump Administration Cuts Put Medical Progress at Risk, Researchers Say
Grants from the National Institutes of Health come with additional money for overhead. A planned $4 billion cut would leave colleges with large budget gaps.
nytimes.com
22/25
The End of Science's Peacetime
Defending the practice of science from its adversaries will require dealing with some uncomfortable truths.
undark.org
23/25
Japan's New Approach to Collaborative International R&D
Japan's science and technology policy has pivoted to a radical new approach to international research collaboration.
issues.org
24/25
FP10 Will Happen, Says Leading MEP
A leading member of the European Parliament has reassured the research and innovation community that there will be an FP10, despite concerns that the next EU research Framework Programme could be swallowed up in a political drive to boost economic competitiveness."There will be a Framework Programme 10," said …
sciencebusiness.net
25/25